Children's Rights

Consultation on Children's Services Planning: provision of statutory guidance

Read our response to the Children's Services Planning: provision of statutory guidance consultation. Read more

How Staf is amplifying the voice of young people with experience of the care and justice systems

Ruth Kerracher, Youth Justice Participation Worker, gives an overview of Staf and CYCJ's new project to amplify the voice of young people with experience of the care and justice systems. Read more

Universal Children’s Day: how we’ll contribute to delivering children’s rights

Today is Universal Children’s Day, marking the day in 1989 that the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. Read more

Children (Equal Protection from Assault) (Scotland) Bill – Ending the ‘Justifiable Assault’ of Children

Widely reported as the ‘Smacking Ban’, this Bill has recently been introduced to the Scottish Parliament by John Finnie MSP, with the aim to outlaw any form of physical punishment against children. Read our short summary of the Bill here. Read more

Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Bill – Standing Up for Scotland’s Children or Simply Standing Still?

Currently at Stage 1 in the Scottish Parliament, this Bill aims to change the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR) to 12 years of age from the current level of 8 – the lowest in Europe. Our article questions whether the Bill goes far enough, and whether it truly works to support Scotland’s children and young people. Read more

Introducing Children's Rights: A ten-minute training tool

The Scottish Government has published a ten minute training tool: 'Introducing Children's Rights'. Find out more and access the training materials. Read more

Lead the Way Manifesto

The Scottish Youth Parliament launched their five year manifesto 'Lead the Way' on 12th March 2016, outlining their policy until 2021. Find out more about the Scottish Youth Parliament's five-year manifesto. Read more

Getting it right for looked after children and young people

In 2015, the Scottish Government published this strategy, setting out its priorities to improve the lives of looked after children and young people. Find out more and download the strategy document. Read more

Latest

Political parties tell Staf how they'll tackle care leaver poverty

We asked the main Scottish political parties what action their MPs will take after the General Election to ensure that no care leaver lives in poverty. Here's what they told us.

In focus: the latest news, reports and research on mental health and care-experienced young people

To keep you up-to-date we’ve brought together the latest news, reports and research relating to mental health and care-experienced young people from the past month. Here’s what you need to know.

What are the major parties’ general election promises to Care Leavers?

With the UK parliament election polling to take place on December 12th, we highlight some of the manifesto commitments made by the UK’s four largest parties (The Scottish National Party, The Labour Party, The Liberal Democrats, and The Conservative and Unionist Party) that could impact on care leavers and those that support them.

Supported Lodgings, Supported Carers Focus Group

Wednesday 22nd January 2020 | 11.00am - 2.30pm | Glasgow (Venue TBC)

Implications of Continuing Care Report

Staf has been working as part of a consortium of colleagues from across the sector which has been meeting about the implementation of Continuing Care. Following our Implications of Continuing Care focus group in February 2018, we produced a report looking at the issues and the good practice taking place across Scotland.

Scotland to host an International Child Trauma Conference in 2020

On 17-18 September 2020 we will be hosting an International Child Trauma conference with Dr Bruce Perry alongside partners Aberlour, Clackmannanshire Education and Psychology Services, Seamab, Kibble, and Children in Scotland. Find out more in this blog.